02-25435. Notice of Proposed Information Collection for 1029-0043, 1029-0111 and 1029-0112

AGENCY:

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing that the information collection requests for the titles described below have been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The information collection requests describe the nature of the information collections and the expected burden and cost for 30 CFR part 761, Areas designated by Act of Congress; 30 CFR part 772, Requirements for coal exploration; and 30 CFR part 800, Bonding and insurance requirements for surface coal mining and reclamation operations under regulatory programs.

DATES:

OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information collections but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, public comments should be submitted to OMB by November 6, 2002, in order to be assured of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request a copy of the information collection requests, explanatory information and related forms, contact John A. Trelease at [phone] or electronically to [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB regulations at 5 CFR part 1320, which implement provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), require that interested members of the public and affected agencies have an opportunity to comment on information collection and recordkeeping activities [see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)]. OSM has submitted three requests to OMB to renew its approval of the collections of information contained in: 30 CFR part 761, Areas designated by Act of Congress; 30 CFR part 772, Requirements for coal exploration; and 30 CFR part 800, Bonding and insurance requirements for surface coal mining and reclamation operations under regulatory programs. OSM is requesting a 3-year term of approval for each information collection activity.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for these collections of information are 1029-0043 for 30 CFR 800, 1029-0111 for 30 CFR part 761, and 1029-0112 for 30 CFR part 772.

As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice soliciting comments for these collections of information was published on June 25, 2002 (67 FR 42803). No comments were received. This notice provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to comment on the following information collection activities:

Title: Areas designated by Act of Congress, 30 CFR part 761.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0111

Summary: OSM and State regulatory authorities use the information collected under 30 CFR part 761 to ensure that persons planning to conduct surface coal mining operations on the lands protected by section 522(e) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 have the right to do so under one of the exemptions or waivers provided by this section of the Act.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once.

Description of Respondents: Applicants for certain surface coal mine permits and State regulatory authorities.

Total Annual Responses: 262.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,864.

Title: Requirements for Coal exploration, 30 CFR part 772.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0112.

Summary: OSM and State regulatory authorities use the information collected under 30 CFR part 772 to maintain knowledge of coal exploration activities, evaluate the need for an exploration permit, and ensure that exploration activities comply with the environmental protection and reclamation requirements of 30 CFR parts 772 and 815 and section 512 of SMCRA (30 U.S.C. 1262).

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once.

Description of Respondents: Persons planning to conduct coal exploration and State regulatory authorities.

Total Annual Responses: 905.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 8,510.

Title: Bond and Insurance requirements for surface coal mining and reclamation operations under regulatory programs, 30 CFR part 800.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0043.

Summary: The regulations at 30 CFR part 800 primarily implement section 509 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, which requires that persons planning to conduct surface coal mining operations first post a performance bond to guarantee fulfillment of all reclamation obligations under the approved permit. The regulations also establish bond release requirements and procedures consistent with section 519 of the Act, liability insurance requirements pursuant to Section 507(f) of the Act, and procedures for bond forfeiture should the permittee default on reclamation obligations.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: On Occasion.

Description of Respondents: Surface coal mining and reclamation permittees and State regulatory authorities.

Total Annual Responses: 14,167.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 166,114 hours.

Send comments on the need for the collections of information for the performance of the functions of the agency; the accuracy of the agency's burden estimates; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collections; and ways to minimize the information collection burdens on respondents, such as use of automated means of collections of the information, to the following addresses. Please refer to the appropriate OMB control numbers in all correspondence.

ADDRESSES:

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Department of Interior Desk Officer, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503. Also please send a copy of your comments to John A. Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave, NW., Room 210-SIB, Washington, DC 20240, or electronically to [e-mail].

August 28, 2002.

Richard G. Bryson,

Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.